There are numerous mind games I have learned to play against myself to help increase my focus. You see, once your body gets to the place where it is physically able to run, the biggest obstacle you will face is your mental ability to endure longer runs. Take today for example. I ran over 5 miles. I always run with a set of headphones on, but sometimes my music gets confused with my GPS signal and it shuts off for stretches. I have learned to let my body go and allow my mind to go to other places. Often, I take the opportunity to reflect on solutions to problems I am having. I often refer to running as a time to meditate. There is a peace that comes about once your mind and body are in rhythm. You can hear your heart beating. You can hear yourself breathing. You can even hear the sound of your footsteps upon the pavement. There are other times when you forget that you are running. Those are the best. It’s as if your body is on autopilot and your mind checks out. It is during these stretches that you build the ability to run long distances. It will drive a person wild if they start running and immediately start looking for the end. There is so much to be learned during the run. Much in the same way, there is so much to be learned during the journey of life. They actually parallel one another. Now, this is not to say that running is the only way to reach this place. There are many. However, running is what I know, therefore, it is what I choose to speak on. Only a runner can understand the peacefulness that occurs to them while out on the route. Running is an addictive drug. Once you get the right dose of it, your body has trouble doing without it. Try it for yourself and find out.

Dreams Mean Work!
Documentation beats conversation:

As in any meal, especially when you are working towards a healthier lifestyle, I recommend that you do not cook or shop for food when you are hungry. Instead, grab a Nutrilite Snack Bar or a Meal Replacement Shake to hold you over until its time to feast. You’ll be cutting calories and putting more great things into your body all at the same time!

Take swimming for example. I absolutely love the water. I think it’s one of the most peaceful places in the world. I decided to add swimming to my regime. You may want to do so as well. Swimming is a great means of cardio and resistance exercise. I spent over an hour in the water swimming laps. Time flew by because the solitude water gives me provides a chance to reflect on things.

This may be where I differ from many others. I prefer to exercise alone. I figure, I got myself into this mess, and doggonit, I’m going to get myself out of it. Now before you take that and run, I do have a support group all around me. When I’m low on get up and go, I turn to them for fresh ideas. It’s always good to spice up your exercise. I can remember running 6 to 7 days a week, doing a minimum of 3 miles a day. I got up to around the 8 mile mark once and I just started walking. I had lost the desire to run. I got bored. So instead of switching things up, I just stopped. I may not have exercised for a month. Bad decision! At the time though, I couldn’t come up with what to do, so I did nothing.

I encourage you to reconnect with your childhood and find some activity that you loved. There is a good chance that it could be something that in your adult life, could turn into a great workout.
Rollerskating?
Jumping Rope?
Running?
Tennis?
Swimming?
Hiking?

This list goes on and on. Find something that gets you up and active and allow your process to begin!

Dreams Mean Work!

“you see gentlemen, the body was made to protect itself….don’t worry about going to hard, if your body is pushed past what it can do, it was designed to shut down on you.  So practice hard, give us your all and if you pass out, we’ll pour water on you, let you rest, the put you back in to practice again!” (pretty sick, huh?)

That’s the mentality of a true football player.  Please don’t take this as sound advice.  Just know that this mindset has worked for me.  On a day like today, when nothing in me wanted to exercise, I pushed my self a little harder and remembered that pain is temporary.  I have a lot more in the tank that I realize.

I’m glad I didn’t listen to the voices that telling me to rest.  I needed to get some work in.  Some days it’s hard.  There’s just no easy way to say it.  If you choose exercise as your method of losing weight, then know that there will be times when your mind will challenge your decision to work hard.  If you were ever involved in athletics, there was probably a coach or someone who didn’t fall for your attempts to give in or come up short.

You see, quitting is a habit.  Probably one of the worst anyone can have.  If you start quitting now, you will probably spend a lifetime quitting things.  Find your reason to get back on track with your health and get to work.  It’s never the right day.  It’s never the right time.  Just get moving and your body and mind will eventually follow!

Dreams Mean Work!

Share

Share

Two questions I learned from one of my professors in my Master’s Program:

1.  How am I doing?

2.  How am I really doing?

Ok, I think I can get to the real answer.  I’m tired.  Flat out tired.  I have been in 90+ degree heat for the past three days.  I help coach a baseball team that played in a tournament in Knoxville, TN this weekend.  I wasn’t able to get the type rest I needed on Monday.  However, I did get up on today and make my wayt to the gym.  I didn’t plan on exercising for two hours…it just happened!  Now my body is really feeling it.  I have twinge in my lower back that feels like it could turn into the all familiar nerve pinch.  However, I know a little trick that should keep that from happening.

My exercise routing for the day was challenging.  I know why as well.  I am still tired from this weekend.  I made a huge mistake by not getting enough rest.   No need to dwell  on it.  Stuff like this happens, especially when you are on the move.

Committing to exercise is hard enough.  When you’re not at home and around familiar people, places and things, you have to make your plans portable.   I always travel with my sneakers when I go out of town.  If I end up in a nice area, I  like to wake up and run.  Also, the exercise bands I use can easily pack up and go along with me wherever I go.   If I did hit a milestone, I’m too tired to have recognized it!

What about you?  Is your exercise routine portable?  Or can you only exercise if you are at the gym?  There’s no right or wrong here.  What works best is what works for you.  I’d love to hear about it!

Dreams Mean Work!

Last week was good for me. I found myself gaining more control over my thought process when it comes to “needing” to eat. That carried over to today. After eating a sensible first meal, my initial thought was to get more food. I thought about it for a second then decided to drink more water and have more fruit. Watermelon this time of year is like a secret weapon for me when it comes to weight loss. It fills you up and at the end of the day, heck, it’s mostly water. I realized that sometimes you have to trick your body into thinking its satisfied in order for it to be satisfied.

There was a quote I used in my last video that said in order to control your urges, you must first control your thoughts. This is week #5 of this part of my journey and I have to tell you, I am feeling stronger. I am not focusing on lifting heavy weights or anything of that sort, rather, I have incorporated a few very simple techniques that have given me incredible results. I promise in the future, I will do a video to show you what I am talking about. For now, I’ll let you know that I use a combination of resistance bands, kettle bells as well as a few resistance exercises.

I also owe you a glimpse of what I am doing to eat healthier. I have been given numerous suggestions, but you have to understand that I am the type person that wants to figure this stuff out for themselves. I will say this, diet plans are not for me. Food has always been a part of my culture and will continue to be. I’ve envisioned in about 15-20 years becoming a chef of some sort. Maybe this phase of my life is where those lesson are going to be laid? Only time will tell.

Dreams mean work!

I hope that your journey to healthy weight loss is coming along well. I have just started my fourth week and I feel pretty good about myself. As mentioned in the video, one of the side effects of doing the right things is having other areas of your life affected by it. I don’t remember who said this, but the quote hold true: “the hard I work, the luckier I get!” I am a firm believer in this principle.

I realize that the weight gain I have experienced over the years really isn’t about weight at all. It’s about emotions and thought. The day we learn how to control our thoughts, we gain a better ability to control our emotions. For many, this isn’t new information. However, I have seen few who offer a way to control your thoughts. I came across just the thing that could very well help you do that. It’s called “The Master Key System.”

The Master Key System was among the first books to use the phrase Law of Attraction, which has become such a popular term today when referring to the most powerful force in the universe. It covers everything from how to create abundance and wealth to how to get healthy. It’s author, Charles F Haanel, leaves no stone unturned.

With precision, Haanel presents a step by step guide, along with exercised to increase your ability to control your thoughts. This book was banned by the Church in 1933 and has been hidden away for decades.

Rumor has it that while he was attending Harvard University, Bill Gates discovered and read The Master Key System. It was this book that inspired the future founder of Microsoft to drop out of the University and pursue his dream of “a computer on every desktop.” You probably know the results…

It is Silicon Valley’s secret that almost every entrepreneur who made a fortune in recent years did so by studying the words Mr. Haanel penned around 100 years ago! Almost every millionaire and billionaire in the Valley read The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel. Since this book was no longer in print until recently, copies of The Master Key System became a hot commodity in the Valley.

The book was also one of the major inspirations behind the hit movie known as “The Secret” and is now known to have inspired the writing of the world’s most famous success book Think And Grow Rich. It has once again been made available. For those of you who have read this far into my blog post, I have a treat for you. The original Master Key System is written in a very cryptic, old school type language that can be a challenging read for many. However, I own a copy of the audiobook narrated in modern day terms and easy to understand. Leave a comment below if you would like a copy.

Dreams mean work!

Today I hit a minor milestone in my healthy weight loss plan. Insignificant as it may seem, I was able to walk a mile without having to stop due to lower back pain. Now, I wish I could just go on and on about how good my back feels, but I can’t. There is a lot of pain involved here. I do my best to take my thoughts away from the pain and focus on other things.

That’s one of the reasons I exercise to music. Most times, it has a way of taking me to another place, if only for a few moments. Right now, that’s all I can ask for. Painful as it may be, I have been able to tap into the power of my subconscious to temporarily remove certain physical discomfort. Trust when I tell you that the day I learn how to block out a tooth-ache, I’m selling the rights to the highest bidder! For now though, I’ll just use my “powers” on me.

It’s starting to feel good to be active again. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I know that there is more work to be done. For the brief moment though, I am happy with what I have done so far. The road ahead is going to be long and bumpy, but hey, that’s what I’m built for!

I’ll be back with another post soon. I’m getting the hang of this blogging format and I hope to see it blossom. I’ve been studying and implementing several techniques to better help market and promote Lou Riley Live! Right now, it’s a one man movement. Let’s see if I can pick up a few friends along the way. I’d love to hear about your struggles with healthy weight loss as I will continue to share mine. Be sure to leave a comment below.

Dreams mean work,